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Morning . . . Shit, it was morning already.
She looked to the bed. Krieger was sitting up, eyes studying her. He stood and held out his hand to her.
Eva accepted his help, noticing his eyes tracking her as she stood. Her stomach fluttered with an uncomfortable feeling—a feeling she didn’t recognize or need.
The warmth from his hand seeped into her chilled skin, and she yanked it from his grasp, took a deep breath, and met his eyes.
“Good morning, I-I need to check your stitches. Here, let me look.”
She reached for his shirt, grazing his midsection, but he backed away. “Your hand is freezing.”
“Oh.” She rubbed her hands together and blew warm air into her cupped hands. “Now let me look.” She took a step toward him, and this time, he didn’t back away.
Her head dipped low as she lifted his shirt to look at his wound. When her fingers touched the skin of his abdomen, his muscles flexed and gooseflesh rose on his skin as she inspected the area. For a man who had been sick for so long, his physique was still intact. The bruising and swelling were lessening with no bleeding.
“Looks like they’re ready to come out,” she said.
She let his shirt fall back into place as her eyes met his. His hand touched her arm, and her breathing quickened. Was her mouth hanging open?
She backed away, lowering her gaze. “Come by my room after you get ready. I-I’ll take them out.”
No reply was needed, just a quick escape. She hauled ass all the way back to her room and pressed herself against the inside wall after hastily closing the door.
A few deep breaths later, she eased off the wall and got ready for the day.She had no sooner put on a fresh pair of cargoes, a long-sleeved green shirt, and a brown utility jacket than Krieger walked through the door.
He wore the same clothes, but his hair was damp and his face sparkled with wetness. A droplet of water hung from the cleft in his chin. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch it.
She sighed. “Don’t you knock?”
He shrugged. “Didn’t seem necessary, you were expecting me.”
She pointed to a chair without argument. “Sit.”
After removing her medical kit from under the bed, she crossed to him, not meeting his eyes. This would be a lot easier if she didn’t look him in the eye. That seemed to be the turning point when things went wrong for her.
She knelt in front of him, eased his shirt back, and began to clip the stitch. “This may be uncomfortable.” She chanced a glance at him. She could handle a glance. Couldn’t she?
He nodded, then exhaled hard as she drew out the thread.
“Sorry. I’ll want to keep an eye on it for a while, but otherwise, you’re good. Still take it easy though, you’re not back to full health yet. Okay?”
He grunted an agreement as she moved away from him. After she cleaned her tools with alcohol, she grabbed her bag from the bed.
“Why did you come to me last night?” he asked.
She heaved the bag strap over her head to rest on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.”
He stood and clutched her hand. “Thank you, Eva.”
His skin was rough, calloused, but felt nice in an odd way she wasn’t used to. That flutter in her abdomen appeared again, and she swallowed hard. “I have to go.”
“Go where?”
“Talk to my father.” She turned from him and headed for the door.
“I thought I would get a tour of the settlement today.”
Of course. Shit. “Krieger, tell you what. I’ll meet you in your hut as soon as I’m done with my father, and we will take that tour.”
